Another bite, and this one hurts a bit more. Yog'Moi splashes some sort of alcohol on the wound, which stings but causes the spider's venom to sizzle away into impotency. I nod in thanks, but he's already focused on blasting the spiders with lightning. I focus on my task as well, shift my stance into Jodan, and attack, murmuring a prayer to Shizuru to shield me as I do so.
The spiders ignore Hotcha's dancing this time, but the nearest one certainly feels it when she delivers a burning punch to its face! As it reels, Xin drives both of his blades deep into its thorax. Whitish ichor spurts from the wounds, then Yog'Moi finishes it off with another lightning blast!
Unfortunately, the second spider avoids the lightning and Esh's attacks. Shaking off its sluggishness, the giant arachnid continues to attack the elf! It strikes three time, leaving Esh grievously wounded!
This spider is ravaging me, and I am in agony. The flames in my eyes flare up in response, and my heart is beating so hard I can feel it throbbing in my hands and feet and head. I distantly notice that the others have managed to slay their spider, and a fury fills me. I lash out, losing all pretense of technique.
“Yes!” Hotcha says as the first spider falls. “No!” she cries as Esh gets stabbed multiple times. Much to her relief, he’s a hardy barbarian and he hits hard. Her interjection pendulum-swings back to yes-mode. “Eee-YES, Esh! Ya got this!”
Her emerald eyes narrow at the spider. “And as for you, ya big meanie, I will not sing to you again!” She steps in front of Esh, her body ready to shield him from the left ankle down.
Hotcha brings both hands to her right hip, arched toward each other, talon-like fingers containing a swirl of faerie fire—she brings both palms forward letting a blast loose, and sending two more with a one-two punch!
It’s a spectacular display—
—though much of the fire bursts into harmless sparks.
“Dahhh, I missed a lot.” The fairy stomps her little feet in a petulant hissy.
The priest of Heng Fei takes a swig from one of the bottles hanging from his hips and then invokes the power of these spirits to bathe Esh in healing magics. The lingering remains of the spell are then used to patch up Wu.
Wu Xin has an adage: "Leadership is an action, not a position. In this moment, as his friend and heavy hitter Esh goes down before the assault of the monstrous spider, Xin abandons his attempt to lead his fellow warriors and instead leaps into action.
Hotcha lands a good hit, then Xin moves in on the second spider. It doesn’t fall for his feint, but he still manages to score a critical hit! Esh finally connects, slicing the spider up with his fiery katana! It falls and lies still.
Xin and I kill the spider, and I stare at it for a second to make sure it's dead before slicing my blade through the webbing that covers the doors to the temple, the strands easily retreating away from my flames.
Then I bank my fires, slowly letting them fade out of reality and back into just my mind. It's hard, and my hands shake slightly as I clean off my blade. Yog heals up the worst of my wounds, and I thank him quietly, my pulse still pounding in my ears.
"Well, glad that's over," I grumble, stretching my torso around to find out how my injuries might limit my mobility. Unpleasant, but not unmanageable. Hotcha and Yog seem to be entirely uninjured, which means I had filled my role in this group adequately, if not in an entirely praiseworthy fashion.
"Are you alright, Esh?" asks Xin.
"Hotcha, do you think you can release this poor beast without being harmed yourself? Cut its bond and fly out of danger?"
"Are you alright, Esh?" asks Xin.
"Yes, I'm fine, nothing a few bandages won't fix. Just getting slow in my old age," I half joke, half complain.
"If or, heh, when we sit down to take a breather, I can patch you right on up, old man." But there's a caught triceratops they should deal with first. Like Wu, Yog'Moi too turns to Hotcha and awaits her answer. "Poor thing. It's altogether too strong and majestic to end up like this."
"Take that break now," says Wu Xin.
Xin goes to take a look at the gates, with an eye for traps or hazards.
“To the rescue! Yay!” The fairy flies as fast as she can to the rescue while her wings still have some magic in ’em.
She uses her talon style strikes to make nonlethal burns, hoping that will separate the webbing.
If that’s working, she goes around to do more of the same until the beast is free, and finds a perch to stay well out of its way.
“Nice kitty,” she says in a soothing tone.
The fire burns away the webs around the triceratops, and it runs off into the forest after getting its wits about it.
Xin doesn’t find any traps on the entry doors. A series of paintings line the walls of this large chamber, depicting a faceless man undergoing various trials. The man wades through a river, balances atop a tall tree, and meditates amid a terrible storm. Several small tools and some partially eaten food lie in the room’s northern alcove, before a depiction of the faceless man picking a flower among a field of brambles. In the eastern wall is an open doorway.
Xin examines the tools and food. How recent are they? Are the tools covered in dust? Is the food still warm? If recent, Xin looks around for their owner.
The tools are free of dust and appear well-used. The food is still fresh.
As Xin stoops to examine them, a tiny voice shouts, ”Hey! S-stop that!” comes a tiny voice. The air shimmers as a tiny man steps out from nowhere to confront the rogue. ”Please, leave my things alone!”
The humanoid stands two feet tall and has a slight build. He looks up at you fearfully. ”My name is Ahmitar. Wh-What are you doing in this temple?” he asks, voice quavering.
Hotcha is excited to be knee-high to someone instead of ankle-high.
She uses the last of her wings’ magic to flutter over to him.
“Oh, we didn’t know anyone lived here. I’m Hotcha Twinkletoes. I never met anyone like ya. You’re big, but not big-big like my three friends here. Oh—and definitely not big-big-biiig like those mean spiders!” She points in the direction of the corpses.
”Oh! You killed those spiders! Wonderful!” Ahmitar says. He relaxes and smiles at Hotcha, as it’s hard to be intimidated by somebody smaller than you! ”I’m glad those menaces are gone.”
Hotcha recognizes the little man as an anugobu. Renowned in Tengah folklore as divinely gifted artisans and crafters, anugobus are a curious group of tiny humanoids native to the central islands of Minata. Countless stories describe anugobus sneaking around Minatan cities to tinker with and improve upon other humanoids' structures and architecture.
According to most legends, anugobus are unparalleled masters of architecture and engineering and use this expertise to erect complex structures or greatly improve upon already-existing buildings. Some have questioned these extraordinary stories, but anyone who witnesses an anugobu walk on the walls and ceilings of buildings while improving them knows that such tales aren't that far-fetched.
“Haha, yeah—I punched one in the face! With fire! Well… the men did most of the hurty stuff, but you and that dinosaur are both safe now.”
It occurs to her that a big-person this less-big’s gotta be an… an… anugobu.
“Oh, oh, OH! I’ve hearda people called anew-go-boos! I read it in one of those human books that are kinda comfy to nap on in the sun. This book was about little people. I read about people like me, and the human book was fulla stereotypes like we’re easily excitable, scatterbrained, cute—that one’s true—and we like to explore new things. Durr, who doesn’t?
“That same book, or maybe a different book, said anugobus are really talented, especially in the areas of home improvement. But the funny part is the passage ended like, no really, it’s not just a human stereotype. You’d believe me—not me-me, I’m paraphrasing the book—if you saw one of these guys walk on the walls and ceilings of a fixer-upper he or she fixed up!” Hotcha pauses for breath, unlike a stereotypical fairy who never pau—“Is it true? Did you fix this place up?”
Ahmitar nods excitedly. "That's right! When I came upon this place over a decade ago, it was in such shambles that I almost moved on. But when I discovered the images of Irori behind the brambles that covered this chamber’s walls, I realized that this temple would be my wonder. My life’s masterpiece! I have since remained here, slowly restoring the building.
"But it hasn't been easy. The courtyard and the chambers around it are haunted by the spirits of the monks who dwelled here long ago. Plus, there is a monstrous beast that dwells in the old reflection pool. It has a long neck and poisonous breath. Fortunately, it seems to ignore me, so long as I leave it alone."
Eep. And here I thought claiming the temple would end at politely asking this guy if we can bunk here.
Hotcha considers the ghosts. And the poison-breathing monster.
“Well, a grand tour would be… grand. But the big guys gotta heal up before we go and do that. I get the funny feeling the Long-Neck Monster will not leave us alone.”
The ghost-touch runes for the bigs’ weapons’ll come in handy. I wonder if fire can punch a ghost…
As is his way, Wu Xin crosses his arms and listens as Hotcha delightedly chatters with the little artisan.
When he detects a lull in the conversation, he interjects. "I am Wu Xin of Lingshen and these are my companions. You have met Hotcha. This is Esh, prophet of the Empress of Heaven. And this is Yog'Moi, priest of the Duke of Thunder. We seek what you seek, to clear this place of the evils which beset it. If it pleases you to beautify this temple of the Master, then it pleases me to have you stay with us."
"We are but humble guests in this house, and will not be here long. Are you content?"
"Yes, I would be most grateful if you could cleanse the temple!" Ahmitar says, bowing to Wu Xin. "I will happily accompany you on your task, though I will admit, I am not much use in combat."
"It is well," says Xin. "You may stay here if you like and we will let you know when it is safe. But if you come with us, you must promise to remain out of the way and to run for safety if things go poorly. We cannot afford to look out for you in battle."
"Now, tell us of these ghost monks. How did they die? And where have you seen them?"
He sits on a fallen stone and affixes a mesmerizing opal to his rapier as he listens, likely with Hotcha perched on his shoulder.
Hotcha sees Wu Xin is obviously making his shoulder available, or he wouldn’t be sitting on a rock. She leaps up giddily, but once seated, she crosses one leg over the other and unhooks the silver cup from her hip scarf.
It fills with Fire Nectar. She gulps it down, but held upright, the cup is full as she rests it on her lap.
“If you’d like a sip, Ahmitar, just ask. It’s rude of me not to offer, but blasphemous to pray without a drink in my hand. And we’re gonna need all the divine guidance we can get if we’re gonna purge evil outta the Master-of-Masters’ temple.”
She raises her glass to pray a couple more times.
”From what I have been able to glean, there was a schism within the ranks of the monks,” Ahmitar says. ”A group called the Broken Rebus rose up and attacked the other monks, resulting in the deaths of everybody in the temple. There are ghosts in the courtyard and the dining hall, and more in the prayer rooms to the east.”
Angry, restless souls. The sobering thought prompts a fourth prayer.
After taking a short rest and allowing Yog’Moi to patch up Esh and Xin, you proceed through the east doors. Rusted weapons and old bone shards speckle this wide, open courtyard’s dirt floor. In the center stands a thirty-foot-tall sculpture of a pagoda, with hundreds of names carved all over its miniature tiers. Open doorways stand in the northern, southern, western, and eastern walls. Pairs of staircases lead up to each doorway.
As you enter the courtyard, four ghostly monks manifest in front of the pagoda and take up fighting stances!
Yog’Moi demoralizes one of the ghosts with his battle cry!
Hotcha sinks into her Rain of Embers stance.
She then performs a bobbing, swaying dance of the Nine Secret Steps, and sings the lyrics perhaps to advise the spirits to let go…
Inhume your gloom within a tomb
Confine your mind behind a line
There's only doom outside your room
Confine your mind behind a line
Nine secret steps
To the key to the door that you'll
Throw in the well and let go
Of all your thwarted dreams
And visions of success
The fairy then dances toward the not-so-secret steps.
Yog'Moi ransacks the library of his mind on what these foes might be susceptible to, but all he stumbles upon are empty jugs that stink of alcohol. Annoyed by his failure to come up with something useful, he channels Hei Feng's temper and calls down the Storm Crow's wrath upon the spectral monks.
Spirits, and guardian spirits at that. I hope we will be able to bring them peace. But to do that, we’ll first need the opportunity, which they seem determined to deny us. I draw my blade while praying to Tsukiyo that he will grant me insight and the spirits surcease.
"Guardians of this holy temple, we are here to free you from your earthly bonds and honor the Master. Guide us rather than oppose us!"
The monks inadvertently begin to shuffle in tune to Hotcha’s song. Esh moves in and delivers a critical strike with his katana! Xin’s plea falls on deaf ears, so he follows Esh and delivers a critical strike of his own! It’s too bad ghosts are immune to sneak attacks, though.
Yog’Moi unleashes chain lightning upon the ghosts. The foe Esh and Xin struck is blasted apart by the other energy, while the others resist some of it.
One of the remaining ghosts flies at Yog’Moi while the others focus on Esh and Xin, silent and stoic as they attack with their ghostly fists.
Hotcha turns to the nearest monk. “So… you’re not gonna lay off. We gotta prove we’re worthy, unlike the Broken Rebus, is that it? Well, what could be more worthy than a one-inch punch from a one-inch arm!”
Her little emerald eyes stare in disbelief as her fireball misses a huge guy who’s practically in her personal bubble.
“Ahhh, my one-inch punch missed by a yard! Take THIS and THAT!” Her tiny fists windmill wildly, hurling two more fireballs!
"Esh, go help Hotcha and Yog'Moi," says Xin. "I've got this,"
The hobgoblin is completely fed up with the spectral bastards and throws a flask containing blessed spirits onto the ground. As it shatters, alcoholic mists of positive energy waft on up and gnaw away at the undead monks.
"Esh, go help Hotcha and Yog'Moi," says Xin. "I've got this,"
"Understood," I reply and disengage from the ghost in waki, carefully backstepping from it, before turning and attacking the one that had moved behind me.
Hotcha misses with her one-inch punch, but scorches the ghostly monk with her two follow-up strikes. Esh moves in to attack the same ghost, scoring a critical hit, then another regular strike as Xin exhorts him with a call to battle! Xin himself lands a critical hit on another ghost, then Yog'Moi unleashes a burst of positive energy. The ghost beside him is destroyed while the others are damaged.
The two remaining ghosts focus their fury on Xin. The first connects with all of its punches, leaving Xin severely drained! The second ghost attempts to finish him off, but the rogue luckily manages to dodge all of its attacks!
Hotcha turns to the orange monk, fists still windmilling fire all over the place.
Then she gets over the humiliation of her aimless one-inch punch and gives her favorite move another try.
“Now that is what I call ‘worthy.’ Hang in there, boss! We got this!”
Yog'Moi surges forward and joins the fray with sword in hand. He shouts a hasty call for protection and hopes Hei Feng will answer it.
Yog finishes off the ghost Hotcha and I had wounded with a radiant spell, and I turn back to Xin to see him hard pressed against his opponents. I dash between them and attack from the rear, splitting their focus.
"Striking Crane Wind!" says Xin, letting Esh and Yog'Moi know what he's about to do so that they can capitalize on it.
Nearly all of your strikes connect as Yog-Moi joins the fray directly, slicing with his blade. Hotcha delivers a trio of fiery strikes, the final one a critical hit that destroys her spectral foe. Esh and Xin team up to finish off the final ghost.
Investigating the pagoda where the monks manifested, you see that it is a monument to all of the former monks who spent their lives in the monastery. When a monk passed away, their name was carved into the wooden sculpture. The Master’s Rebus is carved beside a handful of names; these individuals were believed to have achieved some form of enlightenment.
The old weapons scattered throughout the yard are rusted beyond use, but their unique Iroran iconography makes them worth a total of 500 gp to a collector or Iroran temple. Sifting through the weapons, you discover a +2 striking ghost touch hook sword, as well as a potion of tongues.